1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention relate generally to information handling systems. More specifically, embodiments of the invention provide an improved system and method for the backup and restoration of data.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
Replacing a computer system often requires migrating data stored on an existing system to a new system. One approach to migrating data between systems is through a connection to a network, such as a local area network (LAN). Another approach is to make a backup copy of the data on the existing system. For example, a backup copy of the data can be stored on a compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), a digital versatile disk (DVD), tape, or other removable media. Similarly, a backup copy of the data can be stored on a hard disk connected to the existing computer, such as through a universal serial bus (USB) connection. Yet another approach that has gained popularity in recent years is to store the backup copy of the data on a remote backup host that is accessed through a connection to a wide area network (WAN) such as the Internet.
Regardless of the approach, the data that is stored in the backup copy has to be restored, in part or in whole, to the new system. Generally, such data restoration is labor intensive, time consuming and error-prone. Furthermore, it is typically performed after the new system is installed, which can often result in delays before the new system can be used. One approach to addressing this issue is for the system vendor to restore the backed-up data to the new system. This generally requires sending a physical copy of the backed-up data to the system vendor for restoration, which can incur additional expense and time. Furthermore, metadata describing the backed-up data, such as its location on the original system, is often changed in the process.
In view of the foregoing, it would be advantageous to be able to upload a backup copy of the data stored on an original system to the system vendor, and then have the vendor restore the backed-up data onto the new system prior to its delivery. The restored data on the new system could then be updated with any changes that have been made to the data on the existing system since the backup copy was uploaded. As a result, only incremental updates would be needed on the new system instead of a complete restore, thereby reducing the time needed to synchronize the data on the two systems.